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Senate passes 9/11 first-responder measure

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The Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a compromise bill to aid emergency workers who were sickened after they responded to the terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Center.

The final bill, worth about $4.3 billion, is significantly less than the $6.2-billion version that had been blocked by Republicans. Originally, the bill was pegged at $7.4 billion.

The measure, passed by unanimous consent, now heads to the House, where it is expected to be approved.

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The dispute over the bill had become a political embarrassment for Republicans as critics, including comedian Jon Stewart, lambasted the GOP. Opponents were portrayed as small-hearted Scrooges seeking to go back on support for victims of the terror attack.

The earlier compromise cleared the way for passage of the scaled-back version of the legislation, which had been held up by those Republicans who objected that the original costs were too large and said that other spending cuts were needed to avoid increasing the federal deficit. Democrats had said they feared that Republicans could delay consideration until after the holidays, when most members would be gone.

The compromise agreement was announced on the Senate floor by Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. It was quickly praised by the bill’s principal sponsors, New York Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats.

“The Christmas miracle we’ve been looking for has arrived,” the two New York lawmakers said in a prepared statement. “Over the last 24 hours, our Republican colleagues have negotiated in good faith to forge a workable final package that will protect the health of the men and women who selflessly answered our nation’s call in her hour of greatest need. We are pleased to announce that we crafted an agreement that will allow this legislation to pass the Senate, and the House, this afternoon. We thank our Republican friends for coming together to fulfill America’s moral obligation to the heroes of 9/11.”

The compromise also drew support from Republicans such as Scott Brown of Massachusetts.

“The first responders on September 11th unselfishly risked their lives when our nation needed them the most,” he said in a statement. “Their heroic efforts should never be forgotten. I am pleased that we were able to come together and agree upon a workable solution that provides care to these brave Americans. After many months of working on this effort, I am proud to vote for this bill.”

The bill is designed to pay for medical aid to survivors and to first responders, those fire, police and emergency personnel from across the nation who went to the World Trade Center site and were exposed to deadly toxins after the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

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Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a fiscal conservative, had led the opposition to the bill, arguing it would increase federal spending and had not gone through the usual committee process. Republican opposition could have pushed the full debate on the bill past the holidays, when there no longer would be enough vote to pass the measure, Schumer said.

Oliphant reported from Washington and Muskal from Los Angeles

james.oliphant@latimes.com

michael.muskal@latimes.com

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